Pinnacles
by Eillipses
Summary: Echizen is late for practice...again. Having enough, Tezuka gets Momo to show him where Ryoma leaves so he can deal with the first year himself. However, he arrives just in time to see Ryoma lose to his father. Intrigued, he challenges him to a match...


Not much to say here. I just got really bored one day. And this actually took a week to write - started last Sunday, wrote about 1200 words, and the finished today, six days later.

Disclaimer - I don't own POT. That's Prince of Tennis, not a drug!

* * *

It was a beautiful day for most; bright sun, clear sky, warm breeze. But, for an irate Tezuka Kunimitsu, it was not. 

For the sixteenth time, that damned Echizen had been late for practice. And not just five minutes late, oh no, he was usually at _least_ twenty-five minutes late. Twice he didn't even bother to show up! That boy was going to get it. Bad.

Needless to say, Tezuka was pissed.

_

* * *

Flashback _

"Everyone's accounted for, Tezuka-buchou, except for Echizen…again," Oishi reported. The vice-captain winced as Tezuka quietly shook with rage. He knew it was not long until he exploded. While his captain did not usually show many emotions, anger and annoyance were two he wasn't afraid to unleash upon his poor club members.

"…everyone! Continue practice as usual! I shall be return shortly! Nobody is to leave until I return with Echizen! Then you will _all_ see what happens when you don't show up!" He all but screamed at his peers. He turned around to leave, ready to wring that annoying little first year's neck, when he realized that he didn't know where he lived.

"Momoshiro!"

"Y..yes, buchou?"

"Where does Echizen live?"

"Erm…I'm not entirely sure of his address…"Momo started. He stopped as he noticed the look on Tezuka's face. He did a little silent prayer, and quickly added, "But I could show you where he lives, if you'd follow me."

Tezuka calmed a little. "Very well. Show me."

Momoshiro gave an audible sigh of relief. His skin was saved, for now. He was snapped out of his thoughts by an angry shout of, "Well, what are you waiting for? Show me!" He swiftly started to walk, hoping that he'd live to see his next birthday.

Tezuka turned around. "What are all of you looking at? Everyone! Fifty laps! Now!"

Yes...an angry Tezuka is something no one wants to see.

End flashback.

* * *

So that was how Momo got roped into going to Ryoma's house with a pissed off Tezuka. He himself started to get mad. This was all Echizen's fault! If he'd just shown up on time, he'd be back at school, _playing tennis_. He was missing tennis to escort an irate Tezuka! He cursed his luck. And Echizen too, while he was at it. 

They were getting quite a few looks as well. _No_, people weren't staring at their bodies, you sick perverts. They were getting stared at because of their antics. Tezuka was looking straight ahead, ignoring everything else. Someone could have knocked him on the head and not get a reaction.

Momo, on the other hand, was less subtle with his anger. He was currently busy, making choking notions with his hand. It was liked he was murdering an invisible person, or something.

However, no one questioned them, or got in their way. In fact, the crowds parted for them when they approached. Tezuka had a hand in this – if anyone other than Momo came within two meters of his person, he'd give them such an intense glare that they're practically melt on the spot.

A little while later, they found themselves in front the Echizen residence. A little old fashioned, to say the least. No one was outside. They walked up to the door and knocked. Well, Tezuka did, anyways. Knock. Knock. Knock. Momo was pounding and kicking the door.

Finally, it opened, and they found themselves face-to-face with a young woman. "Oh, hello. How might I help you?"

"We're looking for Echizen Ryoma."

"Ryoma-san? He's out in the back, playing tennis. You can go see, if you want."

After a swift thank you, they hurried off to the backyard. Actually, it was more of a court than a yard, but whatever. You get the point. The place behind the house. There, sounds of ball meeting racket were heard, along with a few grunts.

They came in just in time to see Ryoma get pwnt by his father. How nice.

"That's game, set, and match, Ryoma. Won by the superior Echizen, 6-0."

To say the two were surprised would be a major understatement. Echizen, losing 6-0? Echizen Ryoma?

His father looked up. "You must be his friends. How do you do?"

That was when Nanjirou and Momo got a good look at each other. In unison, they cried out "YOU!" and started rambling on about how much better looking and muscular they were than the other. How typical.

While Teedledumb and Tweedledumber were busy screaming at each other, Ryoma was getting chewed out by Tezuka. And _that's_ never pleasant. He ended it with, "I'll deal with you later. Right now, I have some more important things to do."

Tezuka walked up to the older Echizen. "Play a match with me, please."

Momo and Nanjirou stopped fighting immediately. Momo said, "But I wanted to play him, bu-"

He was quickly silenced by a glare.

Echizen Nanjirou cocked up an eyebrow. "Oh? And who might you be?"

"My name is Tezuka Kunimitsu. I'm the captain of your son's tennis team."

"Captain, eh? Sounds interesting. Let's go."

The pair walked over to the court. Momo couldn't help but be jealous. I mean, they had a _court_ in their _backyard_! Wouldn't you be jealous too? Anyways, Momo and Ryoma found themselves banished to some benches on the other side. Momo pouted. _They have benches, too!_

And so the match started.

Nanjirou served a rather ordinary serve, and Tezuka returned it with a rather ordinary return. Well, ordinary for them anyways. For us, it'd probably be the best return EVER. But they're anime characters, and they don't follow our rules. So, ordinary returns.

Momo whispered in quite a loud whisper to Ryoma, "Hey, this is kind of boring, isn't it?" Ryoma ignored him in favour of sulking.

However, Momo's train of thought changed when both of the players started to glow golden. They simultaneously decided to whip out TEH TEZUKA ZONE! OMG! But, would it be called the Tezuka Zone, since _Echizen_ Nanjirou was using it?

There were a variety of reactions.

Momo stared in awe. "OMG IT'S TEH TEZUKA ZONE!!!1one!"

Ryoma said nothing.

Tezuka remained stoic.

And Nanjirou got pissed. "What the hell do you mean, the _Tezuka_ Zone? If ANYTHING, it should be called the _Echizen _Zone!"

The three of them stared at his random outburst.

He kept going. "Wait no, not even that! That could refer to my idiot son! It should be called, "The Great Super Awesome Mega Pro Nanjirou Zone!"

The rest of them couldn't think of a reply for _that_, so they just kept watching and playing, depending on who they were.

Then, Tezuka got bored so he whipped out his ZERO-SHIKI DROP SHOT! He promptly took the point. "15-Love…finally," stated Ryoma dully. Momo jumped – he had forgotten about Ryoma's presence.

Nanjirou had an amused look on his face. "Hm…not bad, young man."

Tezuka grunted.

And then they started another boring rally with their respective "Zones."

Tezuka used his Drop Shot another three times, and won the first game. "Game, Tezuka. 1-0."

Nanjirou started the next game off with a Twist Serve, which, predictable, had no effect on Tezuka, who returned it. It came back to the Samurai. "I think it was like this. Ne, Tezuka-kun?"

Every stared in shock, and their mouths dropped open. That's right! EVEN TEZUKA! Except the mouth-dropping part. Anyways, what happened was that Nanjirou used the Zero-Shiki Drop Shot.

Momo was trying to guess how he did it. _Muga no Kyouchi?_

Ryoma allowed himself a small smirk.

Tezuka narrowed his eyes. "It seems that I have underestimated you."

Nanjirou grinned and winked. "Ya think?"

And so on went the match. Serve. Return. Whack. Hit. Smack. Until Tezuka whipped out the Zero-Shiki again.

Nanjirou smiled even wider before disappearing and reappearing in front of the ball, hitting to the opposite corner by nullifying Tezuka's spin

"S-shukuchihou?"

Nanjirou did a peace sign, and walked back towards the baseline. "love-30."

Tezuka narrowed his eyes further. He activated his State of Self Actualization and started off with a Knuckle Serve. Nanjirou's eyes widened slightly, and he dodged it, barely. "Ooh, violent, violent."

Tezuka responded with another Knuckle Serve, which was returned this time, but was reached by Tezuka using the Shukuchihou. Nanjirou hit it back and was met with a Hadoukyuu. The Samurai ended up lobbing it.

Tezuka jumped did a Dunk Smash, right at Nanjrou's hand. He dropped the racket, and Tezuka smashed it again, right on the baseline. "30 all."

Momo was now excited like a little kid who was give twenty-six bars of chocolate. "WOW! D'you see that, Echizen? Buchou combined my Dunk Smash with Atobe's Rondo Toward Destruction!"

Ryoma, who was now mildly interested, merely grunted in reply.

This time, Tezuka started with a Big Bang, which was returned easily with a Super Rising. Surprised, Tezuka didn't react and lost the point. "30-40."

The Invisible Swing Serve kicked off this rally. The Samurai countered with a Buggy Whip Shot, which was returned with a Viking Horn.

Nanjirou Drive B'd it and won the second game. "You're pretty good, Tezuka-chan! Usually, Ryoma-sama would be panting and sweating by now from the Muga no Kyouchi. However, I won't lose to random moves and styles you pull out of your ass, you know."

Tezuka said nothing as Nanjirou activated his own State of Self Actualization.

"I do," he replied suddenly, as he returned the ball.

Nanjirou used a Jack Knife, but it returned to Tezuka. "This again? C'mon, give me something original!"

Tezuka just returned it. When Nanjirou tried to return it, his racket got knocked out of his hand. "Hm?"

He looked over, where Tezuka's left arm was glowing. "So, you can use the Hyaku Ren Jitoku no Kiwami as well? Impressive."

So they resumed, and Tezuka ended up winning the next few games.

"Game, Tezuka! 4-1!"

"Well, I think play time's over, don't you think?" Nanjirou asked as he went to the baseline to receive. Tezuka served.

It was then that the Samurai activated the Pinnacle of Hard Word as well.

Momoshiro's eyes became really big, and Ryoma's eyebrows went up. It was interesting, to say the least.

Since each shot was two times as powerful as the last, the shots were well, _powerful_. Finally, Tezuka lost the ball, and the ball created a hole in the court. "Careful now, don't want to trip over that hole, now do we?"

Having said that, Nanjirou promptly won the next two games. "Game, Echizen! 4 games all!"

Tezuka served and said, "Six balls."

Nanjirou used the Kamikakushi, which was returned with a Boomerang Snake. Nanjirou countered with a Hakugei, but it was hit back on its return bounce.

He tried another Triple Counter, the Tsubame Gaeshi, but Tezuka caught it with the Shukuchihou and a Zero-Shiki. True to his word, it took six shots.

"So you can activate the Saiki Kanpatsu no Kiwami too? Damn, what kind of Junior High schooler are you?"

Momo shouted, "He's our Captain, and you're about to get yours, Old Man!"

"Who're you calling "old," you juvenile delinquent?!"

Ryoma sighed. "Just get back to the game!"

"Who asked you, _ochibi_?"

But they started again, nonetheless. "Game, Tezuka! 5-4!"

"You're good, Tezuka-chan, but I'm about to show you why they call me Samurai Nanjirou."

And after that, for some reason, Tezuka started to lose every rally, despite his Pinnacles of Hard Work and Wisdom. "Game, Echizen! 5-5!"

Every prediction he made was wrong; Nanjirou's were right. Every shot that was returned was three times as powerful. Every stroke and movement was perfect.

Perfect accuracy. Perfect power. Perfect form. Perfect speed.

Perfect.

Suddenly, Tezuka's eyes widened in comprehension as he recalled the words said to him by Senri Chitose. _"The last one to activate the Teni Muho no Kiwami, the Pinnacle of Perfection, was Samurai Nanjirou Echizen."_

So that's it.

A call snapped him out of his thoughts. Game, Echizen! 6-5!"

"Sorry, but this match is mine."

It was futile. Every shot. Every return. They were all countered perfectly without fail.

Inevitable, the match ended. "Game, Echizen! 7-5!"

Ryoma had expected this, but Momo didn't. "B-buchou _lost_!"

"That was fun, kid! Let's play again sometime."

"Perhaps."

Then they all looked around. It was dark. "I fear I must return home now, Echizen-san."

"Don't be so formal! As long as you acknowledge me as the most pro person ever, it's fine!"

"I think I prefer to call you Echizen-san, Echizen-san."

"Whatever, but would you look at the time! Young people like yourself shouldn't be wandering outside at this hour! You can stay with us!"

"But-"

"NO BUTS! You're going to stay here, and that's final! I'll go call your parents. If you're not inside in five minutes, I'll get that old hag to kick you off the regulars!"

"…"

"…"

"…very well. Come, Echizen, Momo. We shall be staying here tonight."

Momo stampeded in and yelled, "I CALL ECHIZEN'S BED!"

Ryoma's left eye twitched. "I stay here _every _night, buchou."

Tezuka swiftly backhanded him across the yard/court. "Don't question me. And you're _never_ going to be late again, _right_?"

Ryoma rubbed his face. "Hai."

* * *

Later, around midnight, Momo woke up with a start, accidentally whacking his head against the bedside table, and yelling "OW!" He efficiently woke up Ryoma, who was on the floor to the left, in a sleeping bag. "…what?" 

He turned to Tezuka, who was on his right. "…buchou?" He poke him. Tezuka's left eye twitched and he woke up. "What is it, Momo?"

"Don't you feel like we forgot something?"

* * *

"Chance that he forgot about us: 99.9284 percent." 

"Fshh…"

"I hope nothing happened to him…"

"BURNING! GREAT! MYSTERIOUS!"

"Teezuukaaaaa! _Where are you?_"

* * *

Wooooow! 2276 words, not including author's notes! That's loooong, for me. And if you enjoyed it, please review. Even if you don't, thanks for actually reading this far.

-Freedom In Thought


End file.
